Persea thunbergii
10th February 2008
Persea ichiangensis has done so well here that I am trying this one, though it will have to go a bit further up the garden, where it is windier.
I think the yellow colour of the foliage is a result of stavation in the pot!
2nd February 2008
It was planted out in the autumn, and almost as soon as it was put in the ground this happened. There has been a bit of damage, but it has survived
in a fairly harsh location exposed to the wind, so I hope it will eventually grow to magnificence.
15th January 2011
It can make a splendid, rounded tree in habitat in China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan with bright scarlet new growth. Mine did not survive for long enough to make a small bush, but
there are large and magnificent specimens in other gardens locally. As far as I am aware, they were all killed in the Beast from the East in 2018.
I am not aware of one in the area now and it seems to have dropped out of commerce as well. My guess is that the cold wiped it out completely.
This was unexpected because the species grows as far north as central Japan, however a note from the Lake Biwa Museum may explain it:
"Usually, Persea thunbergii forests are distributed along the coasts of Japan, but exceptionally in Shiga Prefecture Persea thunbergii forests are found in various places around the lake.
In similar landscapes in Kyoto and Nara there are no Persea thunbergii, and in the case of Shiga Prefecture, the presence of Lake Biwa and local climate is important;
the summers are not too dry and the lowest temperatures in winter are comparatively high.
References:
International Dendrology Society, Trees and Shrubs Online, https://treesandshrubsonline.org
Lake Biwa Museum Online, https://www.biwahaku.jp/english/exhibits/outdoor.html